Featured Bars and Clubs

This immaculately-restored Germanic-style pub with its popular outdoor patio is a sort of trendy end-cap of the Warehouse district's nightlife, foregoing a TV-assault atmosphere of noise for a relatively low-key atmosphere.

Nestled in the basement of Coffman Union, the Whole has been a fixture on the U of M's campus since the hippie days. There's no such thing as an expensive show here -- typical cover charge is $5 or less.

Bars and Clubs Directory

A lobby bar that you don't need to check in to check out, the w xyz bar has a prominent place in the entryway of Washington Avenue's Aloft hotel. The decor is bright, colorful, modern and inviting, with enough picture windows and street-level views to make it feel more like an urban neighborhood hangout than a rest stop for weary travelers. A pair of daily happy hours -- one in the evening, one later at night -- feature specials on the bar's customized, unique liquor infusions. Read more about Aloft Minneapolis >>

http://www.washingtonsquareonline.net Washington Square might be the crown jewel of White Bear Lake casual brew pubs. The space adapts beautifully to the seasons, with real fireplaces and winter ales warming chilly patrons during the cold half of the year. In the summer months, an outdoor patio is bordered by fragrant flower beds and other assorted flora. Cap that off with efficient wait staff and friendly bartenders, and Washington Square is the perfect spot for a sunny patio lunch or a holiday hunker down with a favorite draught. Read more about Washington Square Bar and Grill >>

http://www.wellsportstavern.com If you've lived in Coon Rapids and played softball, there's a good chance you've been to The Well. The bar features a large outdoor patio, numerous sports specials and a special beer of the month club. Although the bar and dining room are petite, The Well isn't your typical hole-in-the-wall dive bar -- it's clean, well kept and still maintains a newness about it. The bar also has a daily happy hour that starts a bit earlier than most places. Read more about The Well >>

http://www.thewhiskeyjunction.com Located conveniently just off the Light Rail line and between downtown and the sleepy residential neighborhoods of South Minneapolis, Whiskey Junction is the first of a line of three bars tucked away on a small street where Cedar meets Minnehaha meets Franklin meets Hiawatha meets I-94. The area is often occupied by a mix of bikers and country, rock and blues fans from every walk of life, with Whiskey Junction offering live music most nights of the week - generally a mix of original and tribute bands. Offering a full menu and monthly $3.50 pint specials, Whiskey Junction, still in its original 1886 building, has a long history. First owned by the Grain Belt and Minneapolis Brewing Companies (when it was common practice for breweries to own neighborhood bars that distributed their products), the bar has since passed through only a handful of owners. While in its earliest days the rooms above the bar were rented out to local railroad employees (and, according to rumor, also functioned as a brothel), the bar now is home to notable performers such as Jonny Lang, Lynwood Slim and Big Walter Smith, as well as a full game room. Read more about Whiskey Junction >>

http://www.whiskyparkmn.com Shea Design turned the former home of Banana Joe's nightclub into a country bar by bringing in a few whiskey barrels and black-and-white portraits of Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton and asking the waitresses to wear tiny jean shorts. On weekend nights, the hip hop is loud enough to cause physical vibrations, and patrons crowd around the mechanical bull. The cavernous Whisky warehouse was created by Gene Suh, who owns Lyndale Tap, a neighborhood bar known for its beer list and pit beef sandwiches. It's not a place to entice or develop whiskey connoisseurs, as the selections aren't so much unusual or rare, but, especially during happy hour, it's a place to drink affordably. The whiskey cocktails-Dolly-Would, Ring of Fire, and the Bull Rider, among others-sweeten up the reputed old-man's spirit with the likes of sour mix, orange juice, and Red Bull. Pair a few with homemade beef jerky sticks, Buffalo chicken pizza, or, the bar's star, the barbecue beef brisket served between two slices of Texas toast. Read more about Whisky Park >>

Whitey's is just across the river from downtown Minneapolis, and its gateway-to-Nordeast location places it alongside a number of bar and dining options. Its decor -- including a gigantic carving of a burlesque-style lady sprawling over its well-stocked bar -- is one thing that sets it apart; it's kitschy without being tacky or overly ironic. But once you're inside -- or outside on the patio -- its wide selection of bar food (including burgers and sandwiches) is what will wind up catching your eye even more. Read more about Whitey's World Famous Saloon >>

http://sua.umn.edu/whole/ Nestled in the basement of Coffman Union, this coffeehouse turned music venue has been a fixture on the U of M's campus since the hippie days. There's no such thing as an expensive show here -- typical cover charge is $5 or less -- and it's a great place for students to see bands that usually gig at 21+ venues. The Whole also hosts the insightful "Making Music" lecture/performance series, where fans can find out what makes their favorite local bands tick. Read more about Whole Music Club >>

http://www.wild-onion.net Ample accommodations for birthday gatherings and bachelorette parties make the Wild Onion a prime special-event destination for celebratory St. Paulites. But even if you're just in the neighborhood, or heading down Grand after an afternoon of shopping, the bar's casual yet dignified atmosphere and breezy seasonal patio make it a welcoming place to catch one of the many happy hours or themed special nights. Read more about Wild Onion >>

http://www.wilebskiblues.com Wilebski's has been a St. Paul mainstay since 1979, and in earlier years it featured such legendary performers as Etta James and John Lee Hooker. Since then, it's been reinvigorated by a move from its location on Western Avenue North to a new spot on Rice Street. The ambiance of the new Wilebski's feels a little like your uncle's hip basement rec room mixed with an old-timey saloon, though it always reminds you that it is first and foremost a blues club. As such, the generously-sized space features a cavernous live room with plenty of space to see and hear music, with friendly sight-lines all around. In addition to weekend and Tuesday night live acts, the bar is open seven days a week and features a full menu. Read more about Wilebski's Blues Saloon >>

Beloved home to cheap-skates; they understand us here at this loud, hopping bar, giving us gifts like spaghetti nights, when we can get a liter of beer and mound of spaghetti for a few bucks. A fixture on the young-professional's checklist, Williams' free peanuts, giant billiards room, and mile-long bar offer the young and the lovely a place to look, and maybe touch. Read more about William's Uptown Pub & Peanut Bar >>

The lovely Willinger’s Golf Club is situated just northwest of scenic Northfield. The full 18-hole course stretches out over a 40-acre forest and 60 acres of naturally-open swamp and marshlands. The premises offer up several dining options for big occasions and are available for banquet rentals, like wedding receptions or charity luncheons. For every day eating the club has a more laid-back bar and restaurant space to welcome players in off the greens. They also have an expansive deck for soaking in the fleeting summer rays. Read more about Willinger's Golf Club >>